Local Giving

Editor’s Note: During this

special season of giving, The Ledger and First Security Bank would like to salute all the local nonprofit agencies that provide services to our Sanders County communities. They volunteer time, services, hearts and souls to help others. They truly put the “unity” in community. While there are many wonderful and worthy organizations in our country we hope you will consider a donation right here at home this holiday season.

Cancer Network of

Sanders County

PO Box 1311

Plains, MT 59859

Phone: 826-4278

Contact: Kathy Miller

Purpose: Help support local residents undergoing cancer treatment through the Cancer Network of Sanders County. Funds go towards travel expenses, medications, prostheses, wigs, or related expenses not covered by insurance.

Chicks N Chaps

Cowgirls Kickin Cancer

PO Box 422

Plains, MT 59859

Phone: 396-2415

Purpose: Chicks N Chaps

started in Missoula and sponsors a “fun” raiser during the rodeo at the Sanders County Fair. The event teaches “chicks” about the seven events of professional rodeo with 100% of the proceeds going to support local charities and the fight against breast cancer.

Clark Fork Valley Hospital Foundation

PO Box 768

Plains, MT 59859

Phone: 826-4858

Contact: Barry Fowler

Purpose: CFVHF helps to

support the hospital through purchasing equipment, program

support, capital improvements and special departmental needs.

Clark Fork Valley Hospital Hospice

10 Kruger Rd.

Plains, MT 59859

Phone: 826-4873

Contact: Laura Lanfear

Purpose: Hospice is a concept of total support and care for patients who have been diagnosed with an illness, which will result in a life expectancy of six months or less. Hospice helps patients and their families live the remaining months as comfortable and prepared for the end of life as possible.

Helping Hands of

Sanders County

PO Box 513

Thompson Falls, MT 59873

Phone: 499-2688

Purpose: Helping Hands provides ecumenical emergency assistance funds to help those in need within the county. That might include help with food, medication, propane, utilities, vehicle repair or even emergency rental assistance.

LaRue Hot Springs Museum

PO Box 28

Hot Springs, MT 59845

Purpose: The museum is dedicated to preserving the history of the Hot Springs area.

Little Bitterroot Special Services

PO Box 189

Plains, MT 59859

Phone: 826-3689

Contact: Shannon Benson

Purpose: Little Bitterroot is a system of centers to support the independence of special needs citizens in Sanders County. They plan, develop and operate a cost effective and comprehensive range of services for persons of disabilities in areas of employment community living and recreation.

Sanders County 4-H Clubs

PO Box 189

Thompson Falls, MT 59873

Phone: 827-6934

Contact: Juli Thurston, 827-6934

Purpose: 4-H is a national organization that teaches kids life skills including responsibility, communication, leadership, and hard work. The 4-H motto is “learn by doing.” There are several 4-H clubs across the county that include children of all school ages. Help send a kid to camp or to compete at a state level.

Sanders County Coalition

for Families

PO Box 1136

Thompson Falls, MT 59873

Phone: 827-3218

Contact: Gayle Seratt

Purpose: The mission of the Sanders County Coalition for Families is to provide a safe haven and supportive services to victims or survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. Help SCCF to provide a crisis help line, advocacy for victims, transitional housing, community outreach, counseling, financial assistance, emergency shelter, and programs for children.

Sanders County Council

on Aging

PO Box 339

Hot Springs, MT 59845

Phone: 741-2343

Purpose: For more than 40 years Sanders County Council on Aging (SCCOA) has been offering services to area seniors. Their programs include healthy meals at local Senior Centers, Meals on Wheels, and Senior Commodities. They also offer

affordable income-based Homemaking and Respite care. Our Information and Assistance Counselors assist clients with completing forms/applications for Medicare, LIEAP and other public assistance programs. The SCCOA coordinates with Sanders County Transportation providing low cost rides locally and to nearby cities for all area residents.

Sanders County Senior Centers

Purpose: There are seven

senior centers scattered throughout the county providing services to the senior population. Most offer weekly meals and a place to gather in addition to supporting meals on wheels, transportation, education and other support services.

Dixon Senior Center

PO Box 85/3rd St. West

Dixon, MT 59831-0085

Heron Senior Center

PO Box 68/170 Railroad Ave.

Heron, MT 59844

Hot Springs (Camas) Senior Center

PO Box 591/101 Main St.

Hot Springs, MT 59845

Noxon Senior Center

PO Box 17/2nd Street

Noxon, MT 59853

Plains/Paradise Senior Center

Box 935/ W. 205 Meany St.

Plains, MT 59859

Thompson Falls Senior Center

Box 444/1191 Mt. Silcox Rd.

Thompson Falls, MT 59873

Trout Creek Senior Center

10 N. Larch

Trout Creek, MT 59874

827-4461

Sanders County Libraries

Purpose: Helps support local libraries and their many activities related to reading and learning.

They also offer special programs for children and cultural experiences for their communities.

Friends of the Thompson Falls Library

PO Box 337

Thompson Falls, MT 59873

Plains Library Foundation

PO Box 248

Plains, MT 59859

Hot Springs Library

PO Box 850

Hot Springs, MT 59845

Sanders County Community Ambulances

Purpose: There are four local ambulance services providing emergency medical care and transportation for patients. All of the local services are staffed entirely by volunteers. While a local levy provides some support, funds are needed for equipment, training and operations.

Thompson Falls Ambulance

PO Box 1055

Thompson Falls, MT 59873

Phone: 827-4825

Contact: Dorothy Lyght

Plains Community Ambulance

PO Box 268

Plains, MT 59859

Phone: 826-3181

Contact:

Noxon Community

Ambulance Service

PO Box 140

Noxon, MT 59843

Phone: 322-4040

Contact:

Hot Springs Ambulance

PO Box

Hot Springs, MT 59845

741-2211

Sanders County Community Housing

PO Box 519

Thompson Falls, MT 59873

Purpose: The purpose of the Sanders County Community Housing Organization is to promote safe and affordable housing for residents of all ages in Sanders County.

Thanksgiving Basket Project

PO Box 426

Thompson Falls, MT 59873

Phone: 827-9434

Contact: Ron Reedy

Purpose: Each Thanksgiving this group works through

Community Congregational

Church to provide Thanksgiving food baskets to needy families throughout the area.

Sanders County Fair

Foundation

PO Box 9

Plains, MT 59859

Purpose: The Fair Foundation is a non-profit corporation which supports project related to the

Sanders County Fair and the fairgrounds.

Sanders County Food Banks

Purpose: There are several

active community food banks

throughout the county to help

feed the hungry. Many have

related that the need continues to outpace resources. Donations of food and money go toward helping to feed your neighbors in need. Almost one in four Montana children go to bed hungry. Please don’t let this happen to children and families in Sanders County.

Community Harvest

Food Pantry

PO Box 314

Thompson Falls, MT 59873

827-3457

Gospel Mountain Assembly of

God Food Bank

PO Box 1029

Thompson Falls, MT 59873

827-4611

Community Services

Fellowship

1419 Mt Highway 200

Noxon, MT 59845

847-2151

Purpose: Provides clothing in addition to food.

Plains Community Food Bank

PO Box 957

Plains, MT 59859

826-5714

Hot Springs Food Pantry

PO Box 25

Hot Springs, MT 59845

Sheriff’s Relief Fund

c/o Sanders County

Sheriff’s Office

PO Box 910

Thompson Falls, MT 59873

Phone: 827-3584

Purpose: The Sheriff’s Relief Fund provides food, gifts, and essentials for local families in need during the holidays.

Sanders County

Historical Society

PO Box 774

Thompson Falls, MT 59873

Purpose: The SCHS is dedicated to preserving local history and operates the Old Jail Museum throughout the summer months with a special display each year and presents the annual Christmas on Main Street gingerbread contest.

Sanders County Veterans

Transportation

PO Box 1867

Thompson Falls, MT 59873

Contact: Lark Chadwick

Phone: 242-0217

Purpose: This organization

provides military veterans free transportation to medical care.

TCCIA Trout Creek

Community Improvement

Association

PO Box 1416

Trout Creek, MT 59874

Phone: 827-3226 or 827-4269

Purpose: Promoting Trout

Creek Comminty Parks and the community of Trout Creek. Also facilitates the Community Cares program, which assists those in need throughout the year.

Lego Robotics Clubs

33 Lone Wolf Lane

Trout Creek, MT 59874

Contact: Ernie Scherzer,

827-0305

Purpose: Supports students competing in Lego robotics competition in Montana.

Thompson River Animal Care

Shelter (TRACS)

PO Box 1589

Thompson Falls, MT 59873

Phone: 827-8722

Contact: Wanda Thorpe

Purpose: Help provide a shelter for the lost, homeless, neglected

or abused animals in northwestern Montana until they are adopted. TRACS also provides free or low-cost veterinary services to local animals. They are a private non-profit that exists solely on donations. TRACS is a no-kill animal shelter that finds homes for hundreds of animals. Always open to new volunteers and donations, the shelter also hosts a number of fundraisers throughout the year.

Wild Horse Sports Association

PO Box 4

Plains, MT 59859

Purpose: WSA is working

towards building an outdoor sports complex with baseball, soccer, and little guy football fields, for use by youth and adults teams in Plains and

Sanders County.

Project ASCENT

PO Box 1954

Thompson Falls, MT, 59873

Contact: [email protected], (406) 799-1793

Purpose: Project ASCENT was created to introduce participants into the natural world through education and expedition. Project ASCENT's programs are jam-packed full of basic wilderness and safety information. Participants experience varying levels of outdoor skills and activities in an immersive setting. An appreciation of our environment is coupled with an opportunity to meet recreational professionals from our community in a service learning atmosphere to provide campers with the ability and motivation to become lifelong stewards of our world and its offerings. All camps and lessons are based in a picturesque region of Montana where an appreciation of beauty and tranquility are immanent, and free of charge!

The Ledger has been collecting this information for several years. If we inadvertently did not include your organization or your information has changed, please accept our apologies and let us know so we can plan on including you next year.